We went to the Bantam Swap yesterday to find Godot. After losing our beautiful peacock in the winter, the girls were left without a mate. The Bantam Swap is kind of like a flea market for animals. People pay 5 dollars or something for a parking space and they rock up with trailers and trucks, are all set up by 5am and sell sheep and goats and cows and piles of chickens and even fertile eggs, and ducks and dogs and pigs and etc. I even saw a donkey. We walked up and down every row, cold in the late dawn, our arms folded against the chill, inspecting every cage and every trailer and it was not until right at the end of the last row, after I had quite given up on finding Godot who Pania and Tui had been waiting for, when I bent down to look in a big dog crate and said, There, there you are. He looked at me and waited. I will show you Godot in a minute but first I will show you what I did not buy. Or at least have not bought yet.
I wanted this alpaca very badly, but there you are. I can’t have everything.
And here is my surprise. I was surprised too, mind you. Here is Godot. Up in the peacock palace already. Godot is a white peacock. Just imagine how beautiful he will be when he roams free. 
I could not believe my eyes when I saw him. The man who sold him to me was knowledgeable and kind and gave me some good tips. Isn’t he gorgeous.
And here is Carlos Garcia. (Well he was such a nice healthy bird how could I leave him behind.)
What is exciting about these birds is that they are very young, born last June, so we can watch them develop their mature feathers. Carlos Garcia will change dramatically over the summer. They will not be fertile this year though, so no chicks yet. Already Pania and Tui have gone into the Peacock Palace with them, (It runs the whole length of the barn up in the loft.) So it is safe to start planting in the gardens now.
The plonkers came yesterday too. Two to fatten up on milk and eggs and oats.
The corners of the little farm are filling up as we start the race again. The race to get enough food in the larder for the winter.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farm
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
95 responses to “Finding Godot”
Hi Celi
Just wanted to comment that you can not have only ONE alpaca. They are herd animals, and need at least one other for company. Other animals don’t count.
I love reading your blog everyday, and thank you for your diligence! It starts my day, long after your have started yours.
Nancy in NH
Thank you Nancy. I think we will leave the alpacas and llamas to others. I have rather a full house at the moment! c
Oh I’m happy for you, Celi. I see Carlos Garcia has that gorgeous royal blue neck and who knew there were white peacocks in this world. Will his tail feathers be all white too like a lace curtain?
I can imagine wanting the donkey. There’s something so heart-breaking about donkeys. Of all animals they are the most abused, I feel. There is a charity called Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue that tries to save them.
Oh I didn’t notice the link! Very beautiful ! So delicate.
Carlos Garcia! Oh my goodness. ❤
I think you should have bought that 2 headed goose…but really? You passed on the alpaca? They’re good for keeping the coyote away you know.
great pics. i love the title and the bird’s names too )
I thought white peacocks only existed in my dreams. I am in heaven. He is magnificent.
Well, of course you got a white peacock! You knew if you would have taken the trailer, you would have stuffed it full like Noah’s ark. lol The two swans were beautiful…. I would have wanted to buy every animal at a swap like that. We don’t have anything like that here. Godot and Carols are beautiful…just beautiful. It would seem that all your animals get along. Our roosters get along, so I would suppose the two male peacocks would, also. They are young and will adapt. Good job!
I love your pics Celi! You capture so much. Very happy for your peahens. Magic words too Miss 🙂
They’re both stunning!! Will they fight as they mature though?
I have no idea, I had better ask Julie.. she is an aussie blogger who has peacocks, i will check.. c
Oh, have just been reading up about the white peacock! So he’s not technically a peacock at all, is that right?
yes he is a peacock, just a white one.. very similiar in genes to the blue ones I think.. c
Good move not to take the trailer. So much temptation. I’m pleased that Godot found you and vice versa, his feathers will be lovely (and saleable?fashion/millinery/weddings?) as well as just beautiful wandering around with Carlos Garcia.
Oh yes! I did not think of that, feathers for weddings! that would be stunning.. c
And anything to do with weddings is usually very lucrative… 🙂
true that!.. c
Have I missed something obvious, no-one else seems curious……why Carlos Garcia?…….a handsome name to be sure. A productive shopping trip….I think I couldn’t have resisted the turkey, donkey and llama, it’s good to know your limits. I went once to an Amish auction/farm sale with my daughter, a wonderful experience……ooh the animals we could’ve taken home, but settled for just 6 chickens as she lives deep in Ohio suburbia.
Ha ha, no-one has asked but i will tell you. Ever since i got my new phone number (when I shifted to the US) I have been getting calls asking for Carlos Garcia. A collection agency… endless. time and time again. I get mad, I laugh, I explain, I am patient and then I am furious I have done everything I can to stop them – even threatened the company with the police, but every 6 months or so the calls start again. So now when they ask to speak to Carlos Garcia I am handing the phone to my peacock! perfick!.. c
Oh that IS perfick! Talk to the peacock. I thought maybe CG was a hot shot footy player or daytime soap heart throb, and everyone but me knew who he was !
I love your sense of humor. I’s sorry, but Carlos is out in the barn and can’t be disturbed right now. Can I take a message? What a hoot.
I am having the same problem but we have had the same phone number for over 60 years-the person used our number to apply for loans that she never paid back.
Oh that’s too funny, maybe you could get him to shriek into the phone? Bet that’d stop the calls.
C, I listed the phone in my cats name; works a treat!
Welcome, Godot! What a beautiful bird! I wonder what the peachicks will look like. I imagine they’d be either white or colorful but wouldn’t a mix of the two be something? No two chicks would look alike. Well, we’ve at least another year before that question is answered but I see the potential for more calendars! 🙂
Have a great evening!
LOVELY! Is it me or does that Alpaca look a little like Justin Bieber? Am sure he/she would be better behaved. 😉